The Emerging Ireland outfit kicks off their three-game tour of South Africa tomorrow evening with a game against The Pumas, as Simon Easterby tries to identify the next and best of Irish rugby.
Having named his starting team for the affair this morning, we've been looking at five players who could on go to carry the mantle for Ireland in the years to come.
Matthew Devine
Connacht Rugby's Matthew Devine is only 22-year-old but is one of Irish rugby's most promising scrum-halves. In addition to playing a pivotal role in Ireland's 2022 U20 success, scoring four tries across five games, Devine also made his senior debut for Connacht in the Champions Cup last year when he starred in their away clash with Lyon. Since then, Devine has signed a professional contract with the club, and looks set to be a star of the future.
31 August 2024; Matthew Devine of Connacht during the pre-season friendly match between Connacht and Sale Sharks at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Zac Ward
Rugby Players Ireland Men's Sevens player of the year and Paris 2024 Olympian, Zac Ward is set to start tomorrow's game on the left-wing after joining Ulster on a trial basis for the 2024/25 season. While in the 15's game Ward may be somewhat of an unknown quantity, if he can bring his sevens abilities to the 15s and follow a similar path to that of Hugo Keenan who also made the move from 7s to 15s, he'll be well worth keeping an eye on not just for this tour but into the future.
25 July 2024; Zac Ward of Team Ireland is tackled by Fehi Fineanganofo of Team New Zealand during the Men's Rugby Sevens Pool A match between Team Ireland and Team New Zealand at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Sam Prendergast
Prendergast needs little introduction and is undoubtedly the most high-profile of tomorrow night's starters. Prendergast has donned the Leinster jersey several times and was widely regarded as the key player in Ireland's 2022 and 2023 back-to-back Grand Slams. Paired with Matthew Devine, the duo have been tipped to be Ireland's next answer to the famous Murray-Sexton partnership.
"Yes, I have been watching SBW and Leone Nakarawa highlights. Why do you ask?"
Class from Sam Prendergast 🔥
📽️ @IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/WblurVGvoq
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) February 4, 2023
Hugh Gavin
Another U20s star, the Connacht Centre became a favourite of former Ireland U20s coach Richie Murphy during the 2023 and 2024 U20s Six Nations campaigns where Gavin played every match of both tournaments, as well as the U20 World Championship in which Gavin played a major role in driving Ireland to the final. Like Devine, Gavin also joined the professional ranks of Connacht this summer. While he's yet to see senior game time at the club, Gavin is only 20 years old and just out of Ireland's underage system.
It's that man again Hugh Gavin!
The Ireland U20s have used the man advantage to retake the lead.
It's 24-21.#FutureIsGreen @PwCIreland pic.twitter.com/vTg5fQ8pvk
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) February 3, 2024
Mark Donnelly
Like a traditional prop, Donnelly's journey has not been one of glamour or glitz but rather hard quiet work mastering his trade under Dave Kilcoyne in Munster. Donnelly appeared for the Ireland U20s in the 2021/22 season, making his Munster senior debut the same season. While Donnelly is yet to burst into a regular role with the side, Cian Healy's imminent Ireland departure will be leaving a large hole to be filled and Donnelly may just be the right man to slide in.
31 October 2023; Mark Donnelly during Munster rugby squad training at the University of Limerick in Limerick. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Ireland take on The Pumas in the first of their three games this Wednesday at 3pm Irish time. Their penultimate game will see them take on Western Force on Sunday 6th October at 1pm, before they finish out the tour with a clash against The Cheetahs on Wednesday 9th October.
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